Friends say Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s former military, is in good spirits
despite facing death penalty if found guilty for his role in declaring state
of emergency

A bomb scare threw Pakistan’s trial of the century into chaos on Tuesday, preventing Pervez Musharraf, the country’s former military ruler, attending the start of his treason hearing.

He faces the death penalty if found guilty but the morning began with his lawyers saying they had no idea where the 70-year-old was and that they did not know whether their client would appear at the heavily fortified temporary courtroom.

It later emerged that security forces claimed to have discovered a bag containing 11lb of explosives, detonator wire and handguns close to the road he would have taken from his home.

A Pakistani security official displays the explosives, detonator and pistols that were found (EPA)

Police sources said the unassembled bomb was found as they swept Mr Musharraf’s route.

The judge, heading a three-member bench, asked the defence to submit a proper application for the defendant to be absent but indicated he was sympathetic to the threats against him.

“We know the gravity of the situation,” he said. “This person has a life threat against him. If an application is made we must consider it.”

The defence also submitted an application challenging the authority of the special court and demanding the three judges to be replaced, claiming a conflict of interest, before the hearing was adjourned until January 1.

Mr Musharraf’s defence team insist the case is politically motivated, directed by a prime minister who was forced out in 1999 and by a judiciary that clashed repeatedly with the military ruler.

They have already won bail in a string of other cases.

A friend who spent Monday evening at Mr Musharraf’s Mediterranean-style villa said the former commando was in good spirits.

“He’s in a very positive state of mind,” he said.

“The question is will this be heard on a legal basis. From what we have seen there are political considerations too.”

He faces murder charges over the assassination Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister, as well as the death of a rebel leader, a deadly military raid on a radical mosque and the detention of judges.